Tracking devices: aren't useful, if they get away the unwritten rules prevent any action from being taken, and if any actions based on it got out (eg Coil, E88 plants, etc) then all of the gangs would team up and crush the PRT, plus a waste of money since they can't be used

We also saw in Canon that the unwritten rules are more general guidelines. The PRT isn't going to authorize an investigation into a cape's civilian identity but if they happen to stumble across it while doing something else, like following an escaped criminal they aren't just going to back off from the arrest. Moreover, the villains are not just going to all work together because the PRT is bending the unwritten rules (e.g. Empire88 being outed and evidence pointing to the PRT did not trigger the apocalypse).

Explosives: Illegal in the extreme, you risk: killing the villain, killing PRT troops, killing civilians, property damage, and it breaks the unwrtten rules due to the afformentioned.

We saw in Canon unmanned birdcage transportation for masters that was all done remotely, and they could totally not have it set to go off in the middle of the city but during the long car ride to the birdcage. Moreover, I find it hard to believe they couldn't swing legislatively to have it made legal to use lethal force on escaping birdcage prisoners.

Bring in others: They could, but Brockton Bay is being ignored (not sure where you are in the story, so I won't spoil it since I keep forgetting how to use the spoiler bar thing) meaning that they won't get supports in at all, but otherwise it could work.

I agree with this. I suppose then the question is why isn't the director trying to use the wards more when she knows they'll be likely attacking. I know the youth guard would have a cow, but Brockton Bay's PRT already uses them far more aggressively than they're supposed to and they didn't expect conflict to spring up there, they just had them suited up and prepared to deploy or shadowing protectorate members to show them how it's done (wink).